Refers to a person who travels from place to place, often with a spiritual or wandering purpose. Can be used for religious pilgrims, wandering monks, or modern nomads.
He travels the world as a nomad.
Medieval pilgrims walked toward the holy land.
遍歴 (へんれき, 'traveling around, pilgrimage') + 者 (しゃ, 'person'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji 遍 means 'everywhere' or 'widely', and 歴 means 'history' or 'passing through', together suggesting a person who has traveled widely.