Press Release: December 09
Britain is a nation of explorers, adventurers, pioneers and record breakers
– why not join them?
Adventure Travel Live: 29 to 31 January 2010, Royal Horticultural Halls, Victoria, London
If you‟ve ever dreamed about driving to Australia, climbing Mount Everest, rowing across the Atlantic, walking
around the world or cycling around the Himalaya then blaze a trail down to Adventure Travel Live for
inspiration and practical advice from Britain‟s leading explorers, adventurers and pioneers.
There are over 60 talks at the show and the impressive line up of experts includes:
* Ben Fogel – adventurer who has raced 160 miles across the Sahara desert in the notorious Marathon Des
Sables, rowed the Atlantic Ocean in 49 days and crossed Antarctica in a foot race to the South Pole.
* Benedict Allen – explore, film maker and presenter best known for his arduous expeditions to remote corners
of the globe, journeys famously achieved not with a satellite phone, GPS or any of the usual “backup,” but by
undertaking a testing journey after a period of training alone with a remote indigenous community.
*Doug Scott – the first person to ascend the southwest face of Mount Everest and veteran of 45 expeditions to
the high mountains of Asia.
*Simon Yates – mountaineer who is best known as Joe Simpson‟s traveling companion in „Touching the Void.‟
* Chris Scott – the guru of ‘adventure motorcycling,‟ and inspiration behind Ewan McGregor and Charley
Boorman‟s „Long Way Round‟ and „Long Way Down‟ trips. Chris has undertaken over 30 expeditions through the
Sahara since 1982 – by motorcycle, 4WD, M.A.N truck, 2WD saloon car, bush taxi and camel caravan.
*Tom Avery – record breaking explorer and mountaineer and one of only forty-one people to ever have reached
both the North and South Poles on foot.
*Neil Laughton – expedition leader and pilot of the world‟s first flying car the Parajet Skycar which recently
completed a 6,000km trip from London to Timbuktu by land and air, including a death-defying flight over the
Straights of Gibraltar. The Skycar will be on display to the public for the first time ever at the show.
* Rosie Swale-Pope - the oldest person to have run around the world, crossing Europe, Asia and North America
and parts of Greenland on a five-year 20,000 mile solo journey.
* Alistair Humphreys – adventurer who has completed a 4 year 46,000 mile bike journey across the world,
through Europe, Africa, South America, USA, Alaska, Russia, Japan, China and Central Asia.
* Sarah Outen – the first woman and the youngest person (aged 24) to row solo across the Indian Ocean, rowing
4,000 miles from Australia to Mauritius in 124 days and raising £30,000 for arthritis charities along the way.
*Katie-Jane Cooper – model turned adventurer who, with partner Tarka L‟Herpiniere, has walked the Great
Wall of China from West to East in 167 days, and in November ‟09 completed a major crossing of the South
Patagonia Ice Cap.
*Alex Hibbert – 23 year old polar explorer who recently led the Tisco Trans Greenland Expedition, which at
1,374 miles, is the longest fully unsupported polar expedition in history.
Other experts talking at the show include: Simon Calder; Lonely Planet‟s Tony Wheeler; philosopher and
author of The Art of Travel Alain de Botton; President of Virgin Galactic, Will Whitehorn; polar guide and
presenter of BBC‟s „Oceans‟ Paul Rose, and founder of Tribewanted Ben Keene.
In addition to the stellar line-up of speakers, Adventure Travel Live is also packed with features offering
practical advice. You can ask Big Earth how they planned Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman‟s motorcycle
adventure; get navigation and mapping advice from the Royal Geographical Society; sit down the with the Nat
Geo Adventure team in the Explorers Workshop to get tips on filming your adventures or let Nomad, the travel
preparation specialists, advise you on what to pack when you‟re planning a year long trip.
For tickets call 0871 2307159 or visit www.adventuretravellive.co.uk to find out more.
Advance price:
Friday 29 Jan/ adults / £6 / (£15 for the evening with Simon Calder)
Saturday 30 Jan/ adults / £6
Sunday 31 Jan/ adults / £6
On door price:
Friday 29 Jan/ adults / £10 / (£18 for the evening with Simon Calder)
Saturday 30 Jan/ adults / £10
Sunday 31 Jan/ adults /£10
under 16s free go free
Notes to journalists:
Event sponsors & supporters include: STA Travel, Nat Geo Adventure, Big Earth,
For further information, interviews, photographs or logos please contact:
Emma Dowson on emma@escapeevents.com or 020 8543 7436/07726 321622.