Cyril Derreumaux is a French-born American ocean adventurer, ultra-endurance athlete, kayaker, keynote speaker and performance coach. Drawn to water sports after moving to California, he moved from the wine trade into outrigger canoeing, surfskis, river racing and ocean crossings. In 2016 he was part of a four-man team that rowed from California to Hawaii in a Guinness-record 39 days. In 2022 he kayaked solo, unsupported and human-powered from California to Hawaii in 91 days, and in March 2025 completed a 3,000-mile solo Atlantic crossing from the Canary Islands to Martinique in 71 days, becoming the first person to cross two oceans alone in a kayak. His work now turns those lessons into talks on risk, resilience and starting again 

Alastair Humphreys is a British adventurer, author, and National Geographic Adventurer of the Year whose global expeditions span multiple disciplines. He spent over four years cycling 46,000 miles around the world, rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, completed a self-supported foot crossing of Iceland, and trekked 1,000 miles across the Empty Quarter desert. 

Despite his massive physical resume, Alastair is most famous for pioneering the concept of "microadventures"—short, local, and accessible outdoor challenges designed for ordinary people with busy lives. His work shifts the focus away from elite, expensive expeditions toward the mental and physical reality of exploring one's own immediate surroundings. Through his best-selling books and documentary projects, Alastair explores the internal barriers to entry in exploration, pushing people to overcome the inertia of the "doorstep mile" and find wilderness within constraints. 

Albert Weckman is a Finnish adventurer, political scientist, and co-creator of Wilderness Bastards, a YouTube and Instagram project documenting raw, immersive wilderness journeys. Growing up in Finland’s archipelago, Albert developed a deep love for nature, fishing, and outdoor life. He’s a certified wilderness guide with extensive survival training, including winter expeditions in Arctic conditions. Known for his calm, deliberate approach to adventure, Albert recently completed a 300km solo expedition through Arctic Lapland, combining packrafting, hiking, and camping across some of Finland’s most remote wilderness areas. His adventures emphasize simplicity, self-reliance, and mental resilience over gear or speed. Albert shares stories from his expeditions to inspire others to explore the Nordic wild responsibly—and to highlight the beauty and challenge of true solitude in nature.

Alice Morrison, dubbed the "Indiana Jones for girls," is a Scottish adventurer, author, and BBC presenter who has journeyed from her upbringing in Uganda to the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. fluent in Arabic, Alice's connection with African and Middle Eastern cultures shapes her adventures.

She has cycled 12,500 kilometers from Cairo to Cape Town, raced through the Sahara in the Marathon des Sables, and trekked to Timbuktu, uncovering cultural treasures and navigating political challenges. Her books, including Dodging Elephants and Walking with Nomads, and her BBC series, Arabian Adventures: Secrets of the Nabataeans, captivate audiences with stories of resilience and exploration. Living among Morocco’s Amazigh community, Alice blends cultural immersion with advocacy, supporting initiatives like Salve Uganda for street children. Her life celebrates adventure, courage, and a deep respect for the world’s diverse traditions.

Anders Andersen, founder of The Wildtales Inc., is a Danish adventurer and jungle survival expert with extensive experience in the Amazon rainforest. Having spent nearly six years in the Rupununi region of Guyana, Anders collaborates with the Makushi Amerindians, integrating indigenous knowledge into immersive survival courses and expeditions.

He has led adventures across diverse terrains, including the Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Iceland, and contributed to numerous TV productions. Anders emphasizes sustainable exploration, cultural immersion, and preserving fragile ecosystems while fostering deep connections with nature.

Through The Wildtales Inc., Anders inspires participants to embrace the wild and gain valuable survival skills. 

 Ann Daniels is a world-record-breaking polar explorer and the first woman in history to reach both the North and South Poles as part of all-women teams. Originally a mother of triplets with no background in the outdoors, she answered an advert in a newspaper that transformed her into one of the top 20 Great British explorers of all time. Beyond her records, Ann is a dedicated polar guide and scientific lead, working alongside NASA to document the impacts of climate change on the sea ice. She balances her extreme expeditions with a career as a speaker, championing resilience and the empowerment of women in adventure. 

 Ash Dykes is a Welsh extreme adventurer, Guinness World Record holder, and author, best known for completing three world first expeditions — a solo, unsupported crossing of Mongolia, the full interior length of Madagascar, and a 6,500km trek along the entire Yangtze River from source to sea. He trained for his first world record in his parents' back garden in Old Colwyn with a tractor tyre and £200 to his name, and went on to film the Yangtze expedition for National Geographic. Beyond the expeditions, Ash is a passionate advocate for conservation and public health — serving as UK Ambassador for Tourism to Madagascar and presenting in parliament alongside Annie Lennox in support of Malaria No More UK. His book, Mission Possible, is out now. 

Ash Routen is a British adventure journalist, writer and public health researcher specialising in expeditions, Arctic travel, outdoor adventure and exploration. He writes regularly for ExplorersWeb and has contributed to National Geographic UK, The Guardian, Financial Times, Outside and other international publications. His work covers polar travel, long-distance trekking, kayaking, mountaineering, outdoor culture and the changing ethics of modern exploration. A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and The Explorers Club, Ash combines field experience, academic rigour and a critical eye for how adventure stories are reported, celebrated and understood.

Beki Henderson is a BAFTA-nominated adventure filmmaker and expedition safety specialist with years of experience leading camera crews into some of the world's most remote environments. From the Congo Basin to the high Arctic, she has worked alongside Steve Backshall, Ben Fogle, Levison Wood, Aldo Kane, and Will Smith on the National Geographic series Pole to Pole. Alongside her television work, Beki leads her own expeditions — most recently the Green Abyss, a month-long pack-raft expedition through Gabon's Waka National Park to document uncharted rivers and reach communities on the edge of a national park. She is currently working with the Black Mambas, an all-female anti-poaching unit in South Africa, to tell their story through their own eyes. 

 Ben Weber, aka Polar Weber, is a Scottish polar adventurer originally from Orkney. After years in consultancy and long periods living in Brazil, China and India, he began turning a childhood fascination with Scott, Amundsen and Shackleton into real-life polar challenges. In January 2023, Ben reached the South Pole after a 58-day, 700-mile solo ski across Antarctica, facing white-outs, windchill below -40°C, storms, crevasse fields and an 18-hour final push. His wider background includes Greenland, the Canadian Arctic, long-distance cycling and high-altitude mountaineering in Bolivia. His South Pole attempt also raised funds for Cancer Research UK in memory of his mother 

Benedict Allen is one of the world’s most renowned explorers, known for his immersive approach to documenting the lives, traditions, and resilience of indigenous tribes in some of the planet’s most remote regions. From the Amazon rainforest to Papua New Guinea, Benedict has risked everything to learn from and honor the people whose environments he explores. He famously underwent the crocodile initiation ceremony with the Niara tribe, gaining scars that symbolize strength and survival. A celebrated author of 11 books and a pioneer of solo expedition filmmaking for the BBC, Benedict has shared firsthand accounts of life-threatening encounters, environmental challenges, and the profound wisdom of indigenous communities. His decades-spanning relationship with the Yaifo tribe, including a celebrated reunion after 27 years, reflects his deep respect for cultural preservation and human connection.

 Bruce Luyendyk is an American geologist, marine geophysicist, Antarctic researcher and Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Over a career spanning four decades, his work has taken him from deep-sea hydrothermal vents to the geology of California, New Zealand and West Antarctica. On his first Antarctic expedition in 1989, Bruce and his team found evidence for the sunken continent beneath New Zealand, which he later named Zealandia. A Fellow of the GSA, AGU and AAAS, he has made nine Antarctic visits, had Mount Luyendyk named in his honour, and wrote Mighty Bad Land, a memoir of science, risk and fieldwork at the bottom of the world. 

Cathy O’Dowd is an internationally acclaimed mountaineer, author, and team dynamics expert who became the first woman in the world to summit Mount Everest from both its North and South faces. Her high-altitude career is defined by operating in some of the most unforgiving, high-stress environments on Earth. She has stood on Everest four times, navigating the treacherous Khumbu Icefall, surviving the worst storm in the mountain’s history, and experiencing both the profound triumph of the summit and the stark reality of losing teammates to the altitude.  Beyond Everest, Cathy took part in a historic, alpine-style expedition attempting a new route on the Mazeno Ridge of Nanga Parbat—one of the longest, unclimbed ridges in the Himalayas. Today, she translates extreme physical experiences into case studies on human behavior, exploring why plans fail, how egos fracture teams under pressure, and the tools required to maintain collaboration when high-stakes execution matters.

Charlie Walker is an award-winning British explorer, author and keynote speaker specialising in long-distance, human-powered expeditions. Over more than 15 years, he has travelled 60,000+ miles by foot, bicycle, horse, ski, kayak and dugout canoe, crossing places including the Tibetan plateau, Mongolian steppe, Congolese jungle, Arctic tundra, New Guinean highlands and the Sahara. His expeditions include a four-year, 43,000-mile cycle through 60 countries, a 5,200-mile triathlon along the Europe–Asia border, Papua New Guinea by foot and paddle, and a 600-mile winter trek in Siberia that led to four weeks in a Russian prison. His books include Through Sand & Snow, On Roads That Echo and the forthcoming On Thin Ice

Chaz Powell is an award-winning expedition leader, conservationist, and founder of The Wildest Journey. Known for trekking some of the world’s most remote and dangerous river systems—including the Zambezi, Gambia, and Madagascar’s Mangoky—Chaz uses extreme walking expeditions to raise awareness for wildlife conservation and indigenous cultures. His journeys have seen him survive dehydration, wildlife encounters, imprisonment, and extreme terrain, earning him the SES Explorer of the Year in 2021. A former young offender turned adventurer, Chaz now lives off-grid in Scotland, balancing fatherhood with a quieter life of local microadventures and global impact. 

 Chris Christensen is the creator and host of Amateur Traveler, the long-running, award-winning travel podcast and blog focused on helping real travellers plan better trips. A travel journalist, blogger and podcaster since 2005, Chris has built a huge library of destination-led conversations covering culture, history, food, practical planning and the small details that make a place worth visiting. Before working on Amateur Traveler full-time, he spent decades in Silicon Valley, including roles with Apple, HP, TripAdvisor and other tech companies. He is in the Podcasting Hall of Fame and has won a Lowell Thomas Award, five NATJA awards, a Travel Creator Award and a SMITTY Award from Travel + Leisure. 

Chris McCaffrey, known online as @chrisinthecold, is an adventurer driven by bold ideas and human-powered exploration. From an audacious attempt to row the North Atlantic without prior rowing experience — surviving hurricanes, capsizes, and even a rescue by an oil tanker — to completing a 16-month global cycle across 21 countries, Chris has made a habit of testing his limits against the elements. His global ride took him along the Silk Road, into the vast Pamirs, and across Southeast Asia, where he faced extreme heat, illness, collisions, and moments of collapse, but also experienced the kindness of strangers and the awe of wild landscapes. Chris’s storytelling brings to life both the chaos of survival and the quiet connections found on the road, making his adventures as much about human resilience as they are about endurance. 

Clay Hayes is the winner of Alone Season 8, a master woodsman, and a professional bowyer. A former wildlife biologist with a Master’s in wildlife ecology, Clay spent years studying animal populations in the Idaho wilderness before transitioning to a full-time career sharing primitive skills and traditional archery on YouTube. He is a staunch advocate for public lands and habitat conservation, using his platform to reconnect people with the natural world through bow building and wilderness education. Clay lives in Idaho with his wife and two sons, where he continues to live a lifestyle rooted in self-reliance and the mountain man tradition. 

Cyril Derreumaux is a two-time world record holder and elite endurance athlete who tests the absolute limits of human isolation. In 2022, he achieved the harrowing feat of kayaking solo and entirely unsupported across the mid-Pacific, paddling 2,400 nautical miles from California to Hawaii over 91 grueling days. Confined to a custom ocean kayak, he weathered brutal swells, equipment failures, and strict food rationing. Proving his resilience wasn't a one-off, Cyril followed this in 2025 by paddling solo across the Atlantic, becoming the first person to traverse two different oceans in a solo kayak. 

With a background that includes a record-setting Atlantic rowing crossing, Cyril has transitioned his extreme expeditions into a masterclass on human performance. He studies the exact psychological framework needed to endure deep solitude, manage fear under pressure, and maintain focus when entirely alone in a relentless environment.

Daniel Eggington is a British expedition adventurer from the Black Country with a singular focus on the world's most demanding jungle environments. At 17, he booked a one-way flight to Sumatra with no plan and no training, walked seven days into the rainforest with three local guides, and tracked a wild Sumatran tiger to a watering hole just before his 18th birthday. That trip set the trajectory for everything since.

In 2018, Daniel paddled nearly 300km down Guyana's Essequibo River in a handmade dugout canoe with Wapichan guides, navigating piranha-filled waters, illegal gold dredges, and Kanaima folklore. In 2022, after four years of planning and two failed attempts, he crossed the Darien Gap on foot from Colombia to Panama — securing safe passage from the Clan del Golfo, hiding for ten days in a safehouse in Juradó, and walking out alone after being abandoned by his guide on day two.

Next up: a 12-month, source-to-sea expedition along the the Congo River.

Danny Bent is an author, world-record-breaking adventurer, and community builder named one of the UK’s happiest people. His endurance feats embrace both the absurd and the grueling: he has cycled 15,000 kilometers from London to India, pogo-sticked across Togo, and finished the BBC’s brutal Special Forces: Ultimate Hell Week. Following the Boston Marathon bombings, he organized a non-stop relay across the United States, mobilizing thousands of runners to raise $600,000 for a community processing collective trauma.

Rather than chasing records for ego, Danny focuses on the internal shift that occurs when we step off autopilot. Through his books and multi-day nomadic expeditions in places like Iceland and Tajikistan, he explores how physical movement, shared vulnerability, and a raw "tribe mentality" strip away the myth of the solo superhero, allowing individuals to build deep resilience and reconnect with who they are under pressure.

David Abel is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter for The Boston Globe, an Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker, and a professor of journalism at Boston University. Over a distinguished career, Abel has reported from the front lines of war in the Balkans, covered national security, and was part of the Globe team awarded the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news coverage of the Boston Marathon bombings.

Today, Abel’s focus centers primarily on the climate crisis and environmental policy. Immersing himself in the physical reality of his stories, he has crossed the melting Arctic Sea on a snowmobile and boarded ice-covered fishing boats in the North Atlantic. His acclaimed documentaries, including Entangled and In the Whale, explore the collision between human industry, failing policy, and fragile ecosystems, capturing the internal anxiety and resilience of communities facing a rapidly changing world.

David Haze, known as the Nomadic Paddler, is a world-record-setting adventurer who turned his life around through the power of paddleboarding and the great outdoors. After overcoming personal struggles and two prison sentences, David discovered paddleboarding as a path to redemption and purpose. His journey has seen him break records, including paddling the UK’s four longest lakes and crossing the English Channel. Passionate about the transformative power of adventure, David founded Freedom Through Adventure, a charity that helps at-risk youth and young offenders reconnect with nature and explore new opportunities.   David’s story is a powerful reminder that failure doesn’t define you—it fuels the potential for growth and change. Through his mantra, “Through adventure we live,” David inspires others to embrace life as a grand adventure.

Deon Barrett is an adventurer, military veteran, and founder of the True North Project, a mission to bring outdoor education into schools and make adventure accessible to all. Overcoming a turbulent childhood and near-prison sentence, Deon found purpose through the outdoors, channeling his experiences into inspiring the next generation. 

Now, he’s on a mission to become the first Black Englishman to summit Everest, followed by a solo ski expedition across Antarctica. 

Through storytelling, mentorship, and advocacy, Deon is breaking barriers and proving that adventure has the power to transform lives.

🌍 Follow Dion & True North Project: TrueNorthProject.co.uk | @TrueNorthProject

Erin Ranney is a wildlife cinematographer, deep-sea explorer, and third-generation fisherwoman from Alaska. She’s filmed for National Geographic, BBC, Disney, and IMAX, and was a key cinematographer on Queens, the groundbreaking documentary highlighting matriarchal power in the animal kingdom. Erin’s work spans remote bear territories in Katmai, underwater missions aboard the Nautilus, and elephant-filled savannahs in Kenya. She’s co-founder of the Wildlife Cameramen Community and an ambassador for Girls Who Click, mentoring the next generation of female filmmakers. Her storytelling is driven by awe, respect for wild places, and a passion for capturing nature’s most powerful moments. 

Fitz Cahall is the creator and host of The Dirtbag Diaries, one of the longest-running adventure podcasts in the world, and co-founder of the creative studio Duct Tape Then Beer. A lifelong storyteller with roots in journalism, Fitz redefined how outdoor narratives are told, giving voice to everyday adventurers alongside elite athletes. His work spans podcasts, films, and essays, blending curiosity, craft, and a deep respect for the natural world. Recently, he authored States of Adventure with DK, a collection of 30 outdoor stories that reflect the many ways a life outside can unfold. From growing up nomadic and overcoming a childhood dog-mauling, to discovering climbing in Seattle and forging a career at the intersection of creativity and adventure, Fitz has championed authenticity over status, community over ego, and storytelling over spectacle. Today, he explores new creative frontiers while balancing mountain days with family life in the Pacific Northwest.

 Geoff Holt MBE is a record-breaking British yachtsman, speaker and disability sports ambassador whose life has been shaped by the sea. Paralysed in a swimming accident in the British Virgin Islands at 18, he rebuilt his life around sailing and access for others. In 2007 he became the first severely disabled sailor to sail solo around Great Britain, and in 2010 became the first quadriplegic sailor to cross the Atlantic unassisted. Appointed MBE in the 2010 Birthday Honours for services to sailing, Geoff went on to found Wetwheels, giving disabled people and their families the chance to experience powerboating in a safe, accessible way. His story is one of grit, purpose and widening the water for everyone. 

Georgia Barker is a UK-based wildlife photographer, content creator, and founder of Nature with Georgia — a growing online community inspiring people to reconnect with nature. After leaving a career in customer service and years of solo travel across Australia, Africa, and Canada, Georgia rediscovered her sense of wonder close to home through birdwatching.

Her candid storytelling and photography celebrate the everyday beauty of British wildlife — from barn owls to garden sparrows — showing that adventure doesn’t always mean far-flung destinations. Through free community nature walks, ethical photography, and a determination to make birding “cool,” Georgia promotes accessibility, curiosity, and conservation for everyone.

She’s been featured by the RSPB online community and is currently developing longer-form documentary content on YouTube under Nature with Georgia.

Gerhard Czerner is a mountain biker, climber, and storyteller known for taking his bike where few dare to walk. From carrying 22kg of gear across Pakistan’s Karakoram glaciers to securing the first official permit to mountain bike down Kilimanjaro, his adventures blend extreme terrain with deep cultural connection. Gerhard’s unique approach combines alpinism with two wheels, turning every expedition into a human story—teaching porters to ride, sharing skills, and building lasting friendships across borders. His work has been featured in Sidetracked Magazine, films like Mountain of Greatness, and on stages across Europe. 

Gilbert Moukheiber is a Lebanese adventurer, wilderness guide, and founder of 33 North, an adventure company specializing in cultural and mountain-based expeditions across Lebanon. With over 25 years of experience, Gilbert is the visionary behind the Boukaat Loubnan Trails, a 400km route blending adventure, history, and human connection. He leads transformative journeys, including Lebanon’s only winter expedition, and founded the Wilderness and Adventure Academy to train future guides in safe, sustainable adventure tourism. His work champions responsible travel, preserving Lebanon’s remote mountain communities, landscapes, and ancient traditions. 

 Global Convoy is an adventurous collective founded by Max White, Joel, and Becca, who turned the outrageous idea of driving £75 cars around the world into a global community of overlanders. Starting with a beat-up Nissan Micra and a Skoda bought off Gumtree, their journey took them through Russia, Central Asia, Japan, the Americas, and beyond, fueled by breakdowns, hitchhikers, and the kindness of strangers. Their story grew into a movement, inspiring others to embrace mishaps, mayhem, and magic on the road. From the Pan-American Highway in a converted yellow school bus to their annual “Mayhem” expeditions, Global Convoy continues to prove that adventure is about community, not luxury. Alongside building resilient travelers, they champion causes like Adventure Mind, showing how outdoor exploration fuels confidence, connection, and mental health. 

 Graham Zimmerman is a Piolet d’Or-winning alpinist, author, filmmaker and climate advocate. Born in New Zealand and raised in the Pacific Northwest, he cut his teeth in the Southern Alps before building a career on bold expeditions across Alaska, Patagonia, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and beyond. He has made dozens of first ascents on rock, ice and snow, including the 2020 Piolet d’Or-winning first ascent of Link Sar in Pakistan. His book, A Fine Line: Searching for Balance Among Mountains, reflects on risk, loss, ambition and responsibility in high-altitude climbing. Alongside his mountain work, Graham is a committed climate organiser, using storytelling and advocacy to protect the wild places that shaped him. 

Hazen Audel is a biologist, survival expert, adventurer, educator and television presenter best known as the host of National Geographic’s Primal Survivor, Survive the Tribe and Ultimate Survival WWII. Raised in Spokane, Washington, Hazen built his life around nature, fieldcraft and hands-on learning, later studying biology, botany, zoology and tropical ecology. His work has taken him into remote environments around the world, where he learns from local communities and traditional knowledge holders about hunting, shelter, tools, food and survival. Off screen, he is also a speaker, craftsman and lifelong learner who encourages people to get outside, use their hands and reconnect with the natural world.

Henry Brydon is an adventurer, writer, and founder of We Are Explorers — Australia's biggest adventure publication — which he built from a weekend blog into a seven-person team with a network of over 300 creators. Before that, he spent two years cycling 38,000 kilometres from London to Sydney through 30 countries on a budget of $5 a day. Now back in the UK, Henry has launched Outside Kids, a newsletter and platform helping dads raise adventurous, resilient children in an age of digital distraction. He lives in the Forest of Dean with his family.

outsidekids.co.uk | weareexplorers.co

Ian Finch is an outdoor guide, adventure photographer, writer and former Royal Marines Commando. An Explorers Club member and Fjällräven global guide, Ian has spent more than a decade travelling through wild and remote places, documenting the connection between people, culture and landscape. His expeditions include a 2,000-mile canoe descent of the Yukon River and a 1,300-mile journey retracing the Cherokee removals. He is also the founder of Walk Wild, where he helps people build confidence outdoors through guided walks, navigation training and weekend adventures. His work blends practical fieldcraft, storytelling and a deep respect for the landscapes and communities he encounters.

Jan Bakker is a Dutch trekking guide, author and outdoor tourism consultant based in Uganda. Founder of the Pamir Trail, he has spent years linking remote routes across Tajikistan’s high Pamirs, while leading expeditions in East Africa, Iraqi Kurdistan and Central Asia. He is the author of Cicerone’s Trekking in Tajikistan and has written for outlets including BASE, Sidetracked and Adventure Travel Magazine. Born in a village below sea level in the Netherlands, Jan first saw mountains at fifteen and has since built a life around wild places, local communities and the patient work of turning little-known landscapes into responsible adventure routes. 

 Jeff Jenkins is the creator of Chubby Diaries, a global platform dedicated to making travel and adventure accessible for plus-size people. A former choir teacher turned award-winning travel influencer, Jeff built his brand into a business that challenges industry norms around representation, accessibility, and inclusion. His work has led to consulting with major travel companies, speaking worldwide, and fronting the National Geographic series Never Say Never. From building low-cost wells in Rwanda to scuba diving in the Caribbean and climbing mountains on TV, Jeff’s mission is simple: inspire people of all sizes to “live life now.” Recognized for his authenticity, storytelling, and entrepreneurial drive, he continues to empower others to step outside their comfort zones and embrace adventure at their own pace. Jeff is also developing new shows, writing books, and chasing his dream of exploring Antarctica to complete his seven-continent goal. 

Jeff Johns is an adventure traveller, filmmaker, author and co-creator of What Doesn’t Suck, the travel platform he built with his wife to share honest, curious stories from the road. A Brooks Institute graduate in documentary filmmaking and visual journalism, Jeff has spent much of the past two decades abroad, working across Asia, the Middle East and Europe. His television work has included projects for Discovery Channel, National Geographic and the BBC, while What Doesn’t Suck has taken him from Everest Base Camp and the Great Pyramids to the Albanian Alps and Greenland ice sheet. His memoir, Jet Lag Junkie, tells the deeper story behind nearly 100 countries, ADHD, burnout, belonging and life lived far from routine 

 Joe Trevorrow spent four years in the Royal Navy before a Tomb Raider game and a cold email changed his life. Now an expedition guide with The Wild Tales — an indigenous-led adventure company in Guyana — Joe works alongside Wai Wai and Patamona communities to lead archaeological expeditions into barely explored rainforest. His recent finds include undocumented petroglyphs along the River of Death, mystery pots near the summit of a 3.5 billion year old mountain, and a hidden cave covered floor to ceiling in ancient drawings. He's currently planning a 17-day expedition to measure a waterfall that may be higher than Kaieteur Falls. 

Jonathan Kingston is an award-winning National Geographic contributing photographer, visual storyteller, and maritime archaeologist. His assignments have taken him to remote corners of the globe, photographing everything from vibrant tribal traditions on land to vulnerable marine ecosystems underwater. Kingston focuses on the raw physical reality of his subjects, famously capturing underwater images of swimming elephants and enduring harsh environments where his gear is subjected to saltwater, fine sand, and deep sub-surface pressures.

As a technical diver, Kingston has documented 17th-century pirate shipwrecks in Panama and Colombia. Beyond his fieldwork, he is a dedicated photography expert and teacher who helps others move past technical barriers to capture the emotional, authentic essence of a place.

Jonny Hanson is a conservationist, academic, and former farmer dedicated to bridging the divide between wild nature and rural livelihoods. He is the author of Living with Lynx: Sharing Landscape with Big Cats, Wolves and Bears, a critically acclaimed book exploring the complex politics and possibilities of reintroducing apex predators to Britain and Ireland. With roots in Ireland and Malawi, Jonny has conducted field research across the Himalayas, North America, and Europe, and works closely with the Snow Leopard Conservancy. Through storytelling, social science, and lived experience, he brings a balanced, honest perspective to one of the most emotionally charged debates in conservation: how humans and predators can learn to coexist. 

Jude Kriwald is an adventure filmmaker and cyclist whose multi award-winning documentary Alone Across Gola follows his solo ride across West Africa, including a remote rainforest crossing in the Gola region on the Liberia/Sierra Leone border. His work blends grounded expedition storytelling with honest reflection on mental health, authenticity, and the long gaps that can sit between big adventures. Jude also speaks openly about neurodivergence — including autism and ADHD — and how traits like hyperfocus and fast problem solving can be strengths outdoors. He’s the founder of Adventure Mentor (adventurementor.org), offering one-to-one mentoring to help more people access adventure, especially those underrepresented in the space. 

Justin Packshaw, MBE is a modern explorer, entrepreneur, and adventurer who has pushed human limits in some of the world’s most extreme environments. From summiting Everest to crossing Antarctica, racing around the world by sail, and trekking to the North and South Poles, his expeditions combine endurance, science, and leadership. Backed by NASA and the European Space Agency, his Antarctic journey, Chasing the Light, gathered groundbreaking data on human resilience, with insights that could shape future space travel. A former British Army officer, Justin’s experiences have forged his deep understanding of teamwork, mindset, and adaptability in high-risk situations. Passionate about climate action and inspiring the next generation, he believes that boldness, curiosity, and calculated risk unlock true human potential. When he’s not on expeditions, Justin co-leads Joro Experiences, a sustainable adventure travel company, guiding others into the wild. 

Karie Lee Knoke is a wilderness and primitive skills instructor, writer and founder of Sacred Cedars Wilderness School in Sandpoint, Idaho. Best known as the runner-up on Alone Season 9, she spent 75 days surviving in the remote wilderness of Labrador, drawing on a lifetime of outdoor experience, traditional skills and deep connection to nature. Karie teaches primitive living, foraging, backcountry awareness and nature connection, helping people build confidence outdoors while learning how to live with greater respect for the land. Her work also includes writing, herbal remedies, energy medicine and women’s wilderness retreats.

Katharina Kneip is a German artist and long-distance traveler behind Round:Motion—an interdisciplinary project that uses walking, skiing, and sailing as both method and medium, questioning how we document movement, landscape, and “heroic” adventure narratives.  She focuses on power, gender, and the practical realities of moving through remote terrain at a slow, human pace. Learn more on the Round Motion website. 

Lauren Roerick is an adventurer, thru-hiker, and content creator best known for being the first North American woman to complete the 3,034 km Hexatrek across France. With a background in music, international travel, and film set design, Lauren’s journey into long-distance hiking was anything but conventional. After attempting the Pacific Crest Trail, she discovered a love for solo trekking, leading her to explore some of the most breathtaking landscapes in Europe. Through her YouTube channel, guidebooks, and social media, Lauren shares raw and insightful stories from the trail, inspiring others to embrace adventure. Passionate about self-sufficiency, outdoor challenges, and cultural immersion, she continues to explore the world on foot, proving that adventure is for everyone. Follow her journey at LaurenRoerick.com. 

 Letícia Benavalli is a conservation biologist and founder of the Onça Institute (Instituto Onça), an NGO dedicated to jaguar conservation in Brazil's Cerrado and Atlantic Forest. She has worked across multiple Brazilian biomes — including the Pantanal, Caatinga, and Amazon — studying large carnivores and developing community-based conservation programmes. Letícia is a Rolex/Explorers Club grant recipient and a member of the IUCN's Wildlife Conservation and Protected Areas group. She presented her research at the Explorers Club in New York and is preparing a PhD focused on jaguar density, diet, and the genetics of melanistic jaguars in the Cerrado. 

Louis Philippe Loncke is Belgian adventurer and Explorers Club Fellow known as The Mad Belgian. In 2008 he completed the world's first unsupported north-to-south crossing of the Simpson Desert in 35 days. A former bank IT engineer, he has completed 20-plus expeditions across Tasmania, Australia, Poland, and Azerbaijan, surviving 21 documented near-death experiences. Currently building the Expedition Database, a free global index designed to work like IMDB for the adventure community.

Luisa Hendry, known online as The Scottish Geologist, is a science communicator, geology tour guide, and founder of Scott Rock Walks. With a background in civil and engineering geology, Louisa left her full-time job to make geology accessible, entertaining, and wildly engaging through social media. Her viral videos blend humour, raw curiosity, and deep scientific knowledge, turning ancient rocks into living stories. From billion-year-old formations in the Highlands to lava flows and tectonic collisions, she breaks down complex science with a relatable, no-nonsense style. Louisa now leads geology-themed adventures across Scotland, helping people connect with the land beneath their feet. 

Mark Agnew is a British adventurer, journalist, and record-setting explorer whose achievements highlight resilience and the power of human endurance. As a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Mark has undertaken groundbreaking expeditions, including kayaking the entire 2,000-mile Northwest Passage in 2023 as 1/4 of the Arctic Cowboys , a feat completed solely by human power and earning him the title of European Adventurer of the Year.

Previously, Mark faced challenges like two failed attempts to row the Atlantic, which he overcame by shifting his focus to intrinsic motivations and teamwork. His expeditions combine extreme physical endurance with a passion for exploring the world's most remote regions.

Mark also inspires others through storytelling, sharing insights on perseverance, redefining success, and the camaraderie found in shared challenges. His adventures continue to push boundaries, making him one of the most compelling voices in modern exploration.

Matt Dearden is a British pilot, author, and adventurer who swapped a career in IT for the cockpit of a Pilatus Porter, flying one of the most demanding bush operations on the planet. After landing a job with Susi Air on just 10 days' notice, he spent seven years flying into remote highland airstrips in Papua, Indonesia — supplying indigenous villages reachable only by air, navigating 30% gradient runways, volcanic terrain, and unpredictable tropical weather.

Featured in Channel 4's The Worst Place to Be a Pilot, Matt later wrote Flying from Shangri-La, a memoir charting his journey from crippling anxiety and a desk job to frontier aviation and self-discovery. Today he flies a Pilatus PC-12 around Europe, volunteers on a 1943 Catalina flying boat, and is a passionate rock climber. Matt's story is one of pushing comfort zones, embracing change, and proving that you're never trapped in the life you've built.

Matt Pycroft is a British filmmaker, photographer, and storyteller specializing in remote and challenging environments. As the founder and Creative Director of Coldhouse, a content agency dedicated to authentic adventure narratives, he has collaborated with clients like Disney+, National Geographic, and Red Bull. 

With over a decade of experience, Matt has directed and photographed numerous world-class expeditions, working alongside renowned adventurers such as Alex Honnold.  He is also the host of The Adventure Podcast, where he delves into stories of exploration and human endurance. 

Matt's passion for untold stories and his expertise in expedition filmmaking have established him as a leading figure in adventure media

Megan Hine is a world-renowned survival consultant, expedition leader, and TV safety producer known for her work on global adventure shows including Running Wild with Bear Grylls. With over two decades of experience guiding in some of the planet’s most extreme environments, she’s led expeditions alongside indigenous tribes, rigged stunts for A-list celebrities, and founded PSYCHE Media Solutions to train and empower the next generation of adventure professionals. Megan combines deep bushcraft knowledge with psychological insight, and her leadership philosophy centers on curiosity, competence, and calm under pressure. Whether dangling off cliffs or navigating jungle diplomacy, Megan's mission is to make the inaccessible accessible—and to inspire others to do the same.

Mitch Hutchcraft is a British adventurer and former Royal Marine renowned for his ambitious endurance challenges. His passion for exploration ignited at 16 when he solo-climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, followed by a visit to Everest Base Camp at 18. After serving six years in the Royal Marines, Mitch participated in a 3,000-mile Atlantic row and a 5,000-kilometer unsupported cycle across the United States. 

In 2024, he embarked on "Project Limitless," a 12,000-kilometer triathlon from the UK to Mount Everest's summit. The journey includes swimming the English Channel, cycling across Europe and Asia, and trekking to Everest's peak. This expedition supports SAVSIM, a charity aiding veterans and wildlife conservation. 

Mitch shares his experiences through speaking engagements and digital platforms, inspiring others to pursue their own adventures

Ness Knight is a British explorer, conservationist, presenter and keynote speaker known for long, difficult expeditions through rivers, deserts, rainforest and savannah. Raised in southern Africa, she has spent more than 15 years working in remote terrain, with projects shaped by endurance, survival skills and conservation. She became the first woman to swim the River Thames from source to London, completed a 1,000-mile stand-up paddleboard down the Missouri River, crossed the Namib Desert by fat bike, and helped lead a source-to-sea descent of Guyana’s Essequibo River with the Wai Wai. Her current work includes wildlife-crime investigation and storytelling around the illicit rhino horn trade. 

 Dr Niall McCann is a National Geographic Explorer, conservation biologist, broadcaster, adventurer and mountain rescuer working at the sharp end of global wildlife protection. He has a PhD in Conservation Biology from Cardiff University and has led remote biological research expeditions around the world, with a focus on endangered species, anti-poaching and the illegal wildlife trade. His fieldwork has taken him across Africa, Asia and Latin America, while his adventure life includes rowing the Atlantic, skiing across Greenland, cycling over the Himalayas and canoeing the Yukon. Niall has presented award-winning wildlife television, worked with Sir David Attenborough on A Perfect Planet, and is Director of Conservation at National Park Rescue, helping protect threatened parks and species. 

Nina Helen Watson is a bright and curious Primary 5 student with a deep love for nature, storytelling, and surprising facts. Her recent school project on the Amazon River showcased not only her research skills but her ability to explain complex ecosystems, wildlife behaviours, and geography with clarity and charm. From capybaras to pink river dolphins, Nina brings wonder to the everyday and reminds us that learning is most powerful when it’s shared. Whether she’s recommending a river cleanup or planning her next camping trip, Nina’s voice carries warmth, wit, and a wild sense of curiosity. 

Oli France is a British adventurer, expedition leader, and motivational speaker specializing in guiding teams through some of the world's most remote and hostile environments. As a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a qualified Winter Mountain Leader with a degree in Outdoor Leadership, he has explored over 75 countries, leading expeditions across deserts, jungles, mountains, and conflict zones. 

Oli's notable adventures include a solo 8,000-mile winter journey from Hong Kong to Istanbul, traversing Asia's mountainous spine, and a 405-mile solo crossing of Siberia's frozen Lake Baikal, hauling a 60kg sled. 

Through his company, Wild Edge, Oli offers bespoke expeditions, sharing his passion for exploration and resilience. He is also a sought-after speaker, delivering insights on leadership, self-confidence, and overcoming adversity, inspired by his experiences in extreme environments. 

Ollie Treviso is the first recorded person to walk the full length of the Andes — 14,000km from Patagonia to Venezuela. Born in Swansea, he left a job in insurance to pursue a life of adventure, living in caves, walking coastlines, and sailing oceans before taking on the Andes. His story is rooted in kindness, mental health, and rediscovering the value of human connection. 

Olly Pemberton is an award-winning director, filmmaker and expedition cameraman specialising in wildlife, conservation and remote-location storytelling. Through Four Horn Productions, he has spent more than a decade filming in wild and challenging environments, with work shaped by the relationship between people, wildlife and place. His projects include Polers of the Okavango with Aldo Kane, Beneath the Baobab with Gordon Buchanan, and documentary work across Southern Africa, Greenland, the Amazon and beyond. A skilled drone pilot, freediver, diver and climber, Olly brings practical expedition experience as well as a strong visual eye to stories from the field.

Oscar Scafidi is a travel writer, secondary school history teacher, and expedition kayaker who has lived and worked across 36 countries on the African continent. A contributor to Bradt Travel Guides, he has spent years based in Angola, Madagascar, and Ethiopia, writing some of the most comprehensive travel guides to the region available in print. On the water, he has completed two major long-distance river expeditions — a 1,300km descent of Angola's Kwanza River in 2016 and, in 2022, the first descent of Madagascar's Mangoky River, covering 750km over 28 days. His account of the Madagascar expedition, Kayak the Mangoky, is available now on Amazon.

kayakthemangoky.com

Paul Harris, known as The Warrior Walker, is a former Royal Marine, private security contractor, and mental health advocate who walked over 24,000 miles around the UK—twice. His journey began not in pursuit of records, but to survive a personal crisis and rediscover meaning after losing everything. From war zones in Kabul to teaching children in Thailand, Paul’s life has spanned extremes. His walking mission became a powerful act of healing, connection, and purpose. Along the way, he’s inspired thousands by sharing raw reflections on grief, resilience, and the kindness of strangers. 

Pete Casey is a Sussex-born explorer and the first person to complete a sea-to-source ascent of the Amazon River — over 7,000 kilometres, entirely human-powered, across six and a half years. A former builder with no expedition background, he funded it by selling his home. He is a member of the Explorers Club.

 Ray “Cash” Care is a U.S. Navy SEAL veteran, keynote speaker, fitness expert and performance coach known for his direct, hard-won approach to leadership and discipline. A 12-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, including 10 years in the SEAL Teams, Ray later spent eight years as an overseas security officer for government agencies. His work has taken him through combat-zone tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, before moving into coaching, team-building and motivational speaking for organisations, sports teams and individuals. He has appeared on The Selection, BBC’s Ultimate Hell Week and the film Captain Phillips, using his story to help people build accountability, resilience and stronger standards. 

 Ray Zahab is a Canadian adventurer, ultra-distance runner, speaker and founder of the non-profit impossible2Possible. A former pack-a-day smoker, he rebuilt his life through endurance sport and went on to run 7,500km across the Sahara in 111 days, a crossing featured in the documentary Running the Sahara. He has covered more than 17,000km across deserts and completed unsupported expeditions in some of the coldest places on Earth. Ray is an Explorer-in-Residence of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and a recipient of Canada’s Meritorious Service Cross and the Sir Christopher Ondaatje Medal for Exploration 

Ricardo Kaljouw is a Dutch adventurer and military shipbuilder from Vlissingen, Zeeland — a town that sits below sea level, which makes his obsession with the world's highest volcanoes all the more fitting. His journey began with Kilimanjaro, but it was a night on the crater rim of Nyiragongo in the DRC, staring into the world's largest lava lake, that lit the fuse.

From there, Ricardo spent several years crossing six continents to complete the Volcanic 7 Summits — the highest volcano on each continent. His journey took him through the jungles of Papua New Guinea, the winter storms of Iran, the Atacama Desert and the remote heart of Antarctica, where he summited Mount Sidley in minus 42°C. He became the first person from the Benelux to complete the challenge, joining fewer than 70 people worldwide who have ever done it.

He is also the author of A Million Steps on Lava.

 Sean Conway is a world-record endurance athlete, author, speaker and coach known for taking on some of the toughest human-powered challenges on the planet. He was the first person to swim the length of Britain, has cycled around the world, completed a 4,200-mile triathlon around the coast of Britain, and set a world record by completing 105 full Iron-distance triathlons in 105 days. Zimbabwe-born and now based in the UK, Sean’s story is one of resilience, grit and curiosity — from being hit by a truck during a global cycling attempt to building a life around hard things done honestly. Through his books, talks and coaching, he helps people rethink what they are capable of when plans fall apart and quitting feels easier. 

 Tahir Shah is a British author, filmmaker, journalist and photographer whose work sits between travel writing, storytelling and cross-cultural enquiry. The son of writer and thinker Idries Shah, he was born into an Anglo-Afghan family and has spent more than three decades writing about the hidden layers of the places he visits. His books include The Caliph’s House, In Arabian Nights, Trail of Feathers and In Search of King Solomon’s Mines, while his documentaries have appeared on National Geographic TV, The History Channel and Channel 4. His work spans more than forty books and films, and has been translated into over thirty languages. 

 Terry Virts is a retired NASA astronaut, International Space Station commander, U.S. Air Force colonel, test pilot, author, filmmaker and photographer. A veteran of two spaceflights, he piloted Space Shuttle Endeavour on STS-130, flew aboard Soyuz TMA-15M, completed three spacewalks and commanded the ISS during a seven-month mission in orbit. Before NASA, he flew F-16s and served as an experimental test pilot. Since returning to Earth, Terry has written books including View From Above and How to Astronaut, directed space and aviation films, and used photography, storytelling and leadership work to help people see Earth — and our responsibilities to it — from a wider perspective. 

Timothy Santel is a retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special agent who spent more than 32 years investigating wildlife crime. Raised in the rural Midwest, his early connection to nature led to a career tackling some of the largest wildlife trafficking cases in U.S. history. As a special agent and later Special Agent in Charge of the FWS Special Investigations Unit, Tim helped lead major undercover operations including Operation Snow Plow, Operation Crash, Operation Apex and Operation Manhattan, exposing criminal networks trafficking big cat parts, rhino horn, ivory and shark fins. Today, he continues that work as Senior Advisor for Wildlife Trafficking Programs at Focused Conservation.

Tom Turcich is the tenth person to walk around the world—and the first to do it with a dog. After the sudden death of a close friend, Tom set off on a seven-year journey across six continents, covering nearly 30,000 kilometers on foot with his rescue companion, Savannah. From deserts to war zones, mountains to megacities, Tom’s walk became a global meditation on fear, resilience, mortality, and the power of connection. Now a public speaker and author of The World Walk, Tom shares the deep lessons he learned from years of solitude, slow travel, and human kindness. 

Tom Williams is an adventurer, entrepreneur, and survival expert, best known for winning Alone UK by surviving 35 days in the Canadian wilderness. From mapping coral reefs in Honduras to racing to the North Pole, Tom’s adventurous spirit has taken him to some of the world’s most extreme environments. He is the founder of Desert Island Survival, a company offering transformative wilderness experiences that combine bushcraft skills with personal growth. Tom’s journey is a testament to the power of resilience, adaptability, and living closer to nature. Through his expeditions, public speaking, and writing, he inspires others to embrace challenges, reconnect with the natural world, and discover their own potential. Currently, he is working on a book exploring the profound physical and mental benefits of aligning with our evolutionary roots. Tom’s story is one of overcoming adversity, thriving in nature, and fostering purpose through adventure. 

Valérie Gagné, known as "The Running Panda," is a Canadian adventurer, elite athlete, and outdoor content creator. Based in Quebec, Valérie combines her background in cross-country skiing and rowing with a passion for exploration, embarking on daring expeditions across some of the world’s most extreme environments.

Her adventures include solo and guided journeys in the Canadian Arctic, Lake Baikal, and the Atacama Desert, as well as a 190-kilometer solo ski expedition around the Eye of Quebec. Valérie inspires others through her storytelling, emphasizing resilience, leadership, and the transformative power of the outdoors.

A collaborator with organizations like Impossible2Possible, she empowers individuals to embrace nature and challenge their limits. Follow her adventures on Instagram and TikTok