Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones landed in the Egyptian desert, having completed the 1st 'Around the World' hot air balloon flight - March 21, 1999

The goal to travel around the world in a hot air balloon began nineteen years before Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones accomplished what many referred to as the "last great aviation challenge of the century". In 1980, English pilot Don Cameron announced his goal of being the first person to travel across the world in a hot air balloon. Although he didn’t make it, his personal goal had sparked the interest of balloonists and adventure seekers across the world.

Over the next twenty years, 18 teams announced their interest in also fulfilling this goal. Although records were set and broken, no group made it completely around the world until Piccard and Jones landed in the barren Egyptian desert in 1999. The pair began their circumnavigation around the globe from Château d'Oex in Switzerland. The trip would last 19 days, 21 hours and 47 minutes. The flight’s total distance was 45,755 kilometers. In acknowledgment of their feat, Piccard and Jones received the Charles Green Salve, the Harmon Trophy, and the FAI Gold Air Medal awards.

http://www.eballoon.org/flights/first-around-the-world.html