Ben Saunders

Polar explorer Ben Saunders knows that greatness is out there. And that’s why he continues to push limits and break records, trekking more than 6,000km on foot across the harshest Polar Regions.

He skied solo from Russia to Canada across the Arctic Ocean in 2004. A decade later, he and his teammate Tarka L’Herpiniere retraced the route of Captain Scott’s Terra Nova expedition. They pulled their survival gear on sleds from the Antarctic coast to the South Pole—and back. 105 days later, the expedition that defeated Captain Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton was accomplished.

In November 2017, Ben set out to complete the first solo and totally unsupported crossing of Antarctica in memory of his friend Lt. Col. Henry Worsley. Throughout his journey, Ben faced white-out conditions and huge, wind-blown formations of snow known as sastrugi. 52 days and 1,046 km later, he successfully reached the South Pole.

There is no margin for error in Antarctica. Decisions can result in life or death. With weather conditions against him and a depleted food supply, Ben had no choice but to cut his expedition short. We salute his brave move to prioritize his safety, and congratulate him on becoming the first person in history to ski unsupported and unassisted expeditions to both poles. Explore his remarkable journey with #TransAntarcticSolo.

Some of Ben’s essentials from left to right: iPod Shuffle, “Music is amazing. It has to be upbeat and motivational.”; Notebook to document his highs and lows; Barnaby Bear for good luck. “I’m not a superstitious person, but he’s come on every trip.”

A few of Ben’s essentials from left to right: iPod Shuffle, “Music is amazing. It has to be upbeat and motivational.”; Notebook to document his highs and lows; Barnaby Bear for good luck.